2026 Mercedes-AMG E53 Dog Review: Built For ThisAutoblogChase BierenkovenThu, September 24, 2026 at 7:45 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAutoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Mercedes-AMG E53 is the archetypal car-dude-with-a-dog car. It's fast, it's low-key, it's big inside, and it's not an SUV. Really, what more do you want? There is, though, a lot more to the E53. Powered by a hybridized turbocharged inline-six making up to 604 horsepower, the E53 is a rocket on wheels. It's also a big, fat luxury barge, weighing in at 5,200 pounds. It tries to do it all, and somehow manages to pull it off. To see if it still does that when you factor pets into the equation, we took out the AMG for a week.As ever, our tester is my 85-pound dog, Beorn. He's happy to do it an he works for cheap.Ease Of Access: Low And WideChase BierenkovenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementPerhaps this category more than any other is why wagons are so great for dogs. You get all the space of an SUV with none of the height. It's practically tailor-made for easy ingress and egress. Beorn is tall, so he hardly ever has trouble getting into things – even truly tall vehicles like the Defender are no problem. But here, he barely had to jump. The AMG's door sill is also very wide, which made it easier for him to get in without contorting himself. My only concern would be the kickplates, which some dogs may want to use as a step.Interior Space: CavernousChase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleIt'll come as no surprise that the huge station wagon is also big on the inside. The E53's big cabin is perfect for pets, even taller ones. The seats are pretty contoured, though. This is great for people being tossed around in the back of the super wagon, but not pets. Still, the dog didn't seem to mind much, and he quickly laid down and fell asleep during our drive. Getting comfortable before doing so seemed pretty easy too, and the generous headroom in the wagon no doubt helps it feel more spacious back there.Materials: Too Nice For PetsThe E53 AMG is awash in leather.Chase BierenkovenThis is the kind of car you'll want seat covers for. The leather on the AMG seems plenty durable (it is leather after all), but it's also very nice. Luckily, there are not many other places I could foresee a dog ruining in the cabin. The floor is carpeted, and the door sills don't feature any cheap, easy-to-scratch plastics. The seat belts even tuck away, which should help keep them free of damage.Verdict: As Good As It LooksChase BierenkovenTo absolutely no one's surprise, the 2026 Mercedes-AMG E53 is pretty much the perfect car for a dog-loving car nut. It's fast, it's comfy, and there's a ton of space. Taller dogs may not do well riding in the trunk when you've got passengers in the second row, thanks to limited headroom, but the rest of the car gets high marks for spaciousness, ease of access, and materials quality. It's about as good as things get.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Sep 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Reviews section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.